Excel On the Track

Take your track skills to a new level. Learn from a die-hard driver who's constantly out there mastering the art. But remember, track driving isn't like a spin around the block. It's a serious sport that requires training and experience.

Meet the Master

Haslin's days are spent on the track, pushing cars and tyres as far as they'll go – all to discover any possible edge to improve tyre technology. He's based in Clermont-Ferrand, France, but he's constantly travelling to the best tracks in the world, putting tyres to any challenge he can find.

Jerome Haslin, Chief Tyre Tester, with MICHELIN since 1992.

Knowledge is power

Know the circuit. Learn every turn and stretch to unleash the power of your car, for a tighter, more competitive performance.

Respect the limits

Learn the limits of your car's grip on the track. As you advance you'll develop a sixth sense, knowing whether you're over- or under-steering by your body's cues. You'll see it, and feel it in your inner ears and forearms.

Exploit the curves

Turn trajectory is huge. You want to take curves as widely as possible, easing left before right turns to find the sweet spot, or vice versa. The wider you berth, the faster you can blow through the curve.

Steer to the sweet spot

Strike a balance in your turns. Under-steering is when your trajectory is larger than you want, so you can't turn hard enough. Over-steering is cutting it too tight and can cause fish-tailing and spin-outs. You'll feel it in your seat.

Cool your breaks

Track racing introduces huge amounts of heat into your car's system – especially in the brake pads. Take a lap with minimal braking so the airflow can cool off the iron brake pads.

Fluid matters

Get high temperature brake fluid and make sure it's not too old. Track racing is hard on fluids.

Pressure is key

Every tyre has an optimal pressure when hot. Be vigilant about tyre pressure. When pressure is too high you can over-steer from insufficient contact between the tyres and the road. On the track, the optimal levels are different from standard recommendations. Most sport tyres shouldn’t surpass 2.5 BAR when hot. But MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup tyres, for instance, should be at 2.2 BAR. Familiarise yourself with the best pressure for your tyres.